Microelectronic imagers with optical devices and methods of manufacturing such microelectronic imagers

ABSTRACT

Microelectronic imager assemblies comprising a workpiece including a substrate and a plurality of imaging dies on and/or in the substrate. The substrate includes a front side and a back side, and the imaging dies comprise imaging sensors at the front side of the substrate and external contacts operatively coupled to the image sensors. The microelectronic imager assembly further comprises optics supports superimposed relative to the imaging dies. The optics supports can be directly on the substrate or on a cover over the substrate. Individual optics supports can have (a) an opening aligned with one of the image sensors, and (b) a bearing element at a reference distance from the image sensor. The microelectronic imager assembly can further include optical devices mounted or otherwise carried by the optics supports.

This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No.10/894,262, filed Jul. 19, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to microelectronic imagers and methodsfor packaging microelectronic imagers. Several aspects of the presentinvention, more specifically, are directed toward installing opticaldevices in microelectronic imagers.

BACKGROUND

Microelectronic imagers are used in digital cameras, wireless deviceswith picture capabilities, and many other applications. Cell phones andPersonal Digital Assistants (PDAs), for example, are incorporatingmicroelectronic imagers for capturing and sending pictures. The growthrate of microelectronic imagers has been steadily increasing as theybecome smaller and produce better images with higher pixel counts.

Microelectronic imagers include image sensors that use Charged CoupledDevice (CCD) systems, Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)systems, or other systems. CCD image sensors have been widely used indigital cameras and other applications. CMOS image sensors are alsoquickly becoming very popular because they are expected to have lowproduction costs, high yields and small sizes. CMOS image sensors canprovide these advantages because they are manufactured using technologyand equipment developed for fabricating semiconductor devices. CMOSimage sensors, as well as CCD image sensors, are accordingly “packaged”to protect the delicate components and to provide external electricalcontacts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional microelectronic imager 1with a conventional package. The imager 1 includes a die 10, aninterposer 20 attached to the die 10, and a housing 30 attached to theinterposer 20. The housing 30 surrounds the periphery of the die 10 andhas an opening 32. The imager 1 also includes a transparent cover 40over the die 10.

The die 10 includes an image sensor 12 and a plurality of bond-pads 14electrically coupled to the image sensor 12. The interposer 20 istypically a dielectric fixture having a plurality of bond-pads 22, aplurality of ball-pads 24, and traces 26 electrically coupling bond-pads22 to corresponding ball-pads 24. The ball-pads 24 are arranged in anarray for surface mounting the imager 1 to a board or module of anotherdevice. The bond-pads 14 on the die 10 are electrically coupled to thebond-pads 22 on the interposer 20 by wire-bonds 28 to provide electricalpathways between the bond-pads 14 and the ball-pads 24. The interposer20 can alternatively be a lead frame or ceramic fixture.

The imager 1 shown in FIG. 1 also has an optics unit including a support50 attached to the housing 30 and a barrel 60 adjustably attached to thesupport 50. The support 50 can include internal threads 52, and thebarrel 60 can include external threads 62 engaged with the internalthreads 52. The optics unit also includes a lens 70 carried by thebarrel 60.

One problem with packaging conventional microelectronic imagers is thatit is difficult to accurately align the lens with the image sensor.Referring to FIG. 1, the centerline of the lens 70 should be alignedwith the centerline of the image sensor 12 within very tight tolerances.For example, as microelectronic imagers have higher pixel counts andsmaller sizes, the centerline of the lens 70 is often required to bewithin 50 μm of the centerline of the image sensor 12. This is difficultto achieve with conventional imagers because the support 50 may not bepositioned accurately on the housing 30, and the barrel 60 is manuallythreaded onto the support 50. Therefore, there is a need to align lenseswith image sensors with greater precision in more sophisticatedgenerations of microelectronic imagers.

Another problem of packaging conventional microelectronic imagers isthat positioning the lens at a desired focus distance from the imagesensor is time-consuming and may be inaccurate. The lens 70 shown inFIG. 1 is spaced apart from the image sensor 12 at a desired distance byrotating the barrel 60 (arrow R) to adjust the elevation (arrow E) ofthe lens 70 relative to the image sensor 12. In practice, an operatormanually rotates the barrel 60 by hand while watching an output of theimager 1 on a display until the picture is focused based on theoperator's subjective evaluation. The operator then adheres the barrel60 to the support 50 to secure the lens 70 in a position where it isspaced apart from the image sensor 12 by a suitable focus distance. Thisprocess is problematic because it is exceptionally time-consuming,subject to operator errors, and subject to axial misalignment betweenthe support 50 and the barrel 60.

Yet another concern of conventional microelectronic imagers is that theyhave relatively large footprints and occupy a significant amount ofvertical space (i.e., high profiles). The footprint of the imager inFIG. 1 is the surface area of the bottom of the interposer 20. This istypically much larger than the surface area of the die 10 and can be alimiting factor in the design and marketability of picture cell phonesor PDAs because these devices are continually shrinking to be moreportable. Therefore, there is a need to provide microelectronic imagerswith smaller footprints and lower profiles.

Yet another concern of conventional microelectronic imagers is themanufacturing costs for packaging the dies. The imager 1 shown in FIG. 1is relatively expensive because manually adjusting the lens 70 relativeto the image sensor 12 is very inefficient and subject to error. Theconventional imager 1 shown in FIG. 1 is also expensive because eachcover 40 is individually attached to the housing 30, and each housing 30is individually attached to an interposer 20. Moreover, the support 50and barrel 60 are assembled separately for each die 10 individuallyafter the dies have been singulated from a wafer and attached to theinterposer 20. Therefore, there is a significant need to enhance theefficiency, reliability and precision of packaging microelectronicimagers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a packagedmicroelectronic imager in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plurality of imagerspackaged at the wafer level in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 3A-3E are schematic side cross-sectional views illustrating stagesof a method of installing optical devices in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic side cross-sectional views illustratingstages of a method for installing optical devices in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional illustrating a method ofinstalling optical devices in accordance with yet another embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a method forinstalling optical devices in accordance with still another embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 7A-7C are schematic side cross-sectional views illustrating stagesof a method for installing optical devices in accordance with yetanother embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A. Overview

The following disclosure describes several embodiments of methods forassembling optical devices with microelectronic imaging units andmicroelectronic imagers that are formed using such methods. One aspectof the invention is directed toward methods of manufacturingmicroelectronic imagers. An embodiment of one such method comprisesproviding an imager workpiece and constructing optics supports on theimager workpiece. The imager workpiece has a plurality of imaging diesthat include image sensors and external contacts operatively coupled tothe image sensors. The imaging dies can be on and/or in a firstsubstrate such that the image sensors are at a front side of the firstsubstrate. The optics supports are constructed on the imager workpiecebefore cutting the imager workpiece. The optics supports, for example,can be constructed on the first substrate or on a cover attached to thefirst substrate. The optics supports include openings aligned withcorresponding image sensors and bearing elements at reference locationsrelative to corresponding image sensors. The method can further includeattaching optical devices to the bearing elements. The optical devices,for example, can include focus lenses, dispersion lenses, pin-holelenses, filters and/or anti-reflective coatings. In several embodiments,the optical devices are generally attached to the bearing elementsbefore cutting the first substrate.

Another aspect of the invention is directed toward a microelectronicimager assembly. One embodiment of such a microelectronic imagerassembly comprises a workpiece including a substrate and a plurality ofimaging dies on and/or in the substrate. The substrate includes a frontside and a back side, and the imaging dies comprise imaging sensors atthe front side of the substrate and external contacts operativelycoupled to the image sensors. The microelectronic imager assemblyfurther comprises optics supports superimposed relative to the imagingdies. The optics supports can be directly on the substrate or on a coverover the substrate. Individual optics supports can have (a) an openingaligned with one of the image sensors, and (b) a bearing element at areference distance from the image sensor. The microelectronic imagerassembly can further include optical devices mounted or otherwisecarried by the optics supports. The optical devices can include opticselements that are aligned with corresponding image sensors on theimaging dies.

Several details of specific embodiments of the invention are describedbelow with reference to CMOS imagers to provide a thorough understandingof these embodiments. CCD imagers or other types of sensors, however,can be used instead of the CMOS imagers in other embodiments of theinvention. Several details describing well-known structures oftenassociated with microelectronic devices may not be set forth in thefollowing description for the purposes of brevity. Moreover, otherembodiments of the invention can have different configurations ordifferent components than those described in this section. As such,other embodiments of the invention may have additional elements or maynot include all of the elements shown and described below with referenceto FIGS. 2-7C.

B. Microelectronic Imagers Packaged at the Wafer-Level

FIG. 2 is a side cross sectional view illustrating an assembly 200having a plurality of microelectronic imagers 202 that have beenpackaged at the wafer-level in accordance with several embodiments ofthe invention. The embodiment of the assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2includes an imager workpiece 210, optics supports 250 on the imagerworkpiece 210, and optical devices 270 attached to the optics supports250. The assembly 200 is typically manufactured by providing the imagerworkpiece 210, constructing the optics supports 250 on the imagerworkpiece 210, and then attaching the optical devices 270 to the opticssupports 250. The optics supports 250 and the optical devices 270 can beassembled using automated handling equipment before cutting the imagerworkpiece 210 in accordance with several embodiments of the invention.

The imager workpiece 210 includes a first substrate 212 having a frontside 214 and a back side 216. The imager workpiece 210 further includesa plurality of imaging dies 220 formed on and/or in the first substrate212. Individual imaging dies 220 can include an image sensor 221,integrated circuitry (IC) 222 operatively coupled to the image sensor221, and external contacts 224 electrically coupled to the integratedcircuitry 222. The image sensors 221 can be CMOS devices or CCD imagesensors for capturing pictures or other images in the visible spectrum,but the image sensors 221 can detect radiation in other spectrums (e.g.,IR or UV ranges). The embodiment of the external contacts 224 shown inFIG. 2 provides a small array of ball-pads within the footprint of theindividual imaging dies 220. Each external contact 224, for example, caninclude a terminal 225 (e.g., bond-pad), a contact pad 226 (e.g.,ball-pad), and a through-wafer interconnect 227 coupling the terminal225 to the contact pad 226. Although the terminal 225 is shown at thefront side 214, it can also be at an intermediate depth within the firstsubstrate 212. The through-wafer interconnects 227 can be formedaccording to the processes disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/713,878, entitled Microelectronic Devices, Methods for Forming Viasin Microelectronic Devices, and Methods for Packaging MicroelectronicDevices, filed on Nov. 13, 2003, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. Other embodiments of external contacts caninclude contacts having traces that wrap around the side of the firstsubstrate 212.

The imaging dies 220 can further include spacers 230 projecting from thefront side 214 of the first substrate 212. The spacers 230 can beconductive elements that project upwardly from the interconnects 227.The spacers 230 can alternatively be dielectric elements deposited ontothe first substrate 212 or manufactured separately from the firstsubstrate and adhered to the front side 214.

The imaging workpiece 210 further includes a sealant 232 around an outerperimeter portion of the spacers 230 and a cover 234 attached to thespacers. The cover 234 can be glass, quartz, or another suitablematerial that is transmissive to the desired spectrum of radiation. Thecover 234, for example, can further include one or more anti-reflectivefilms and/or filters. Additionally, the cover 234 can be a single panecovering a plurality of the dies 220 as shown in FIG. 2, or the cover234 can have individual panes over each die 220.

The assembly 200 further includes a plurality of the optics supports 250on the imager workpiece 210 and a plurality of the optical devices 270.The optics supports 250 include bearing elements 260 that interface withthe optical devices 270. The bearing elements 260, for example, caninclude an alignment surface 262 and a reference surface 264. Theoptical devices 270 can include a second substrate 271 and an opticselement 272 carried by the second substrate 271. The second substrate271 is typically a window that is transmissive to the selectedradiation, and the optics elements 272 can include focus lenses,dispersion lenses, pin-hole lenses, filters and/or anti-reflectivefilms. The bearing elements 260 interface with the second substrates 271to (a) align the optics elements 272 with corresponding image sensors221, and (b) space the optics elements 272 apart from correspondingimage sensors 221 by a desired distance. More specifically, thealignment surface 262 aligns the optics elements 272 and the referencesurface 264 spaces the optics elements 272 apart from the image sensors221 by the desired focal distance.

The embodiment of the assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2 is fabricated at thewafer level such that several imagers 202 are packaged beforesingulating (e.g., cutting) the first substrate 212 to separate theindividual image sensors 202 from each other. One aspect of wafer-levelpackaging is using automated handling equipment to install the opticaldevices 270 such that the optics elements 272 are aligned with andspaced apart from the corresponding image sensors. This is achieved, inpart, by constructing the support members 250 using fast, accurateprocesses. FIGS. 3A-7C illustrate several embodiments of methods for (a)constructing the optics supports 250 and (b) mounting the opticaldevices 270 to the optics supports 250 for wafer-level packaging ofmicroelectronic imagers.

C. Optics Supports and Optical Devices

FIGS. 3A-3E illustrate stages in one embodiment of a method for formingoptics supports that accurately position optical devices with respect tocorresponding image sensors. Referring to FIG. 3A, this embodiment ofthe method includes depositing a support material layer 310 onto thecover 234. The support material layer 310 can be deposited onto thecover 234 using vapor deposition processes (e.g., chemical vapordeposition or physical vapor deposition), three-dimensionalstereolithography processes, spin-on techniques, spraying techniques,molding or other processes. The support material layer 310 canalternatively be formed separately from the workpiece 210 and thenattached to the cover 234. The support material layer 310 has an uppersurface 312 at a desired distance from the cover 234 to define areference plane relative to the image sensors 221. The upper surface 312can be formed at a precise distance from the cover 234 by planarizingthe support material layer 310 using chemical-mechanical planarization.In several embodiments, however, the upper surface 312 can be formed atthe desired distance from the cover 234 in the deposition processwithout planarizing the support material layer 310. The support materiallayer 310 can be composed of polymeric materials, ceramics, metalsand/or other suitable materials.

The bearing elements 260 (FIG. 2) are then etched into the upper portionof the support material layer 310. Referring to FIG. 3B, for example, aresist layer 320 is deposited onto the support material layer 310 andpatterned to have openings 322. As shown in FIG. 3C, an upper portion ofthe support material layer 310 is then etched to a desired depth to formthe alignment surfaces 262 at a desired location relative to thecorresponding image sensors 221. The support material layer 310 can beetched to an intermediate depth using a first etch, such as ananisotropic etch. The alignment surfaces 262 are laterally spaced apartfrom alignment axes C-C of corresponding image sensors 221 by a precisedistance to engage the edges of the second substrates 271 (FIG. 2) andalign the optics elements 272 (FIG. 2) with corresponding imager sensors221.

The reference surfaces 264 of the bearing elements 260 and the openings254 of the optics supports are then formed from the remaining portion ofthe support material layer 310. Referring to FIG. 3D, a second resistlayer 330 is deposited onto the support material layer 310 and patternedto have openings 332. The exposed portions of the support material layer310 are then etched through the openings 332. Referring to FIG. 3E, thissecond etch forms the sidewalls 252 so that they are superimposedrelative to a perimeter zone around corresponding image sensors 221. Thesidewalls 252 shape the openings 254 so that they are aligned withcorresponding image sensors 221. The second etch shown in FIG. 3E alsoforms the reference surfaces 264 of the bearing elements 260 at adesired reference distance relative to the image sensors 221. The secondetch can be an anisotropic etch that is stopped at or slightly beforethe cover 234.

After the optics supports 250 have been formed as shown in FIG. 3E, theoptical devices 270 are mounted to the optics supports 250 as shown inFIG. 2. The optical devices 270 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 havebeen singulated to separate the individual optical devices 270 from eachother before being mounted to the optics supports 250. Automatichandling equipment can place the individual optical devices 270 oncorresponding optics supports 250. More specifically, individual bearingelements 260 can receive the perimeter portion of one of the secondsubstrates 271 such that the optics element 272 of each optical device270 is at a desired position with respect to a corresponding imagesensor 221.

The optics supports 250 fabricated as shown in FIGS. 3A-3E have precisedimensions to accurately position the optical devices 270 with respectto corresponding image sensors 221. For example, the upper surface 312of the support material layer 310 can be formed at a precise distancefrom the imager sensors 221 across the entire imager workpiece 210because chemical-mechanical planarization and certain depositionprocesses are capable of forming highly planar surfaces at exactendpoints across a wafer. Additionally, the first and second etchesshown in FIGS. 3B-3E can accurately form the alignment surfaces 262 andthe reference surfaces 264 with respect to corresponding image sensors221 with a high degree of precision. Therefore, the bearing elements 260have precise dimensions that are located relative to the image sensorsto position the optical devices 270 (FIG. 2) within very tighttolerances. This allows automated handling equipment to attach theoptical devices to the imagining units at the wafer level withoutmanually adjusting the focal distance.

The embodiment of the method illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3E is alsoefficient in that it has a relatively high throughput and uses existingequipment and processes in a semiconductor fabrication facility. Thedeposition, chemical-mechanical planarization and etching procedures areestablished processes that are used to manufacture semiconductor deviceshaving feature sizes of 0.11 μm or less. As a result, the opticssupports 250 can be formed in a process flow for manufacturingsemiconductor devices.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a method for fabricating the optics supports250 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 4A, the optics supports 250 can be formed separately from theimager workpiece 210 and then attached to the imager workpiece 210 atthe wafer level. The optics supports 250, for example, can be made froma support material layer 410 composed of a polymeric material, glass, orother suitable material. The bearing elements 260 and the openings 254can be formed by injection molding the support material. For example, apolymeric material or glass can be molded to form the optics supports250 having the openings 254 and the bearing elements 260. In anotherembodiment, the support material layer 410 can initially be a solidplate or wafer in which the openings 254 and the bearing elements 260are formed by etching, machining and/or ablating the support materiallayer 410. The support elements 250 in this embodiment include footings412 on the backside of the support material layer 410.

FIG. 4B illustrates another stage in this embodiment in which thefootings 412 of the support members 250 are attached to the cover 234.The footings 412 can be secured to the cover 234 using an adhesive 420.The optics supports 250 are accordingly constructed on the imagerworkpiece 210 by attaching a plurality of the optics supports 250 to thecover 234 before singulating the imager workpiece 210. The opticaldevices 270 (FIG. 2) can then be attached to the optics supports 250 asexplained above.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for forming a plurality of optics supports550 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In thisembodiment, the optics supports 550 are formed by depositing a seedlayer 510 of conductive material onto the cover 234 and patterning theseed layer 510 to form electrically conductive regions on top of thecover 234. The electrically conductive regions of the seed layer 510 aretypically superimposed over a peripheral zone around the image sensors221. An electrical potential is then applied to the seed layer 510 whilethe workpiece 210 is placed in a bath of plating material. The materialplates on top of the seed layer 510 to form the optics supports 550having bearing elements 560 at a desired elevation with respect to theimage sensors 221. A plurality of optical devices 570 can then beattached to the optics supports 550. In this embodiment, the opticaldevices 570 have optics elements 572 attached to a common secondsubstrate 571. The bearing elements 560 in this embodiment space theoptics elements 572 apart from corresponding image sensors 221 by adesired focal distance. The optics elements 572 are aligned withcorresponding image sensors 221 using the automated handling equipmentto position the second substrate 571 in a desired alignment with theimager workpiece 210.

FIG. 6 illustrates another method for constructing optics supports onthe imager workpiece 210 in accordance with another embodiment of theinvention. In this embodiment, the optics supports 650 are constructedon the imager workpiece 210 in accordance with any of the methodsdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 3A-5. For example, the opticssupport 650 can be formed by depositing a support material layer ontothe cover 234 and then etching the support material layer to form theopenings 254, the bearing elements 260, and gaps 652 between individualoptics supports 650. Alternatively, the optics supports 650 can beformed separately from the imager workpiece 210 as described above withreference to FIGS. 4A-B or electroplated onto the workpiece 210 asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 5. The optics supports 650accordingly differ from those shown in FIGS. 3A-5 in that the opticssupports 650 are separated from each other by the gaps 652.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate another embodiment of forming optics elements forinstalling optical devices onto the imager workpiece 210 in accordancewith the invention. Referring to FIG. 7A, the imager workpiece 210 inthis embodiment does not include the spacers 230 and the cover 234.Instead, a protective layer 702 is deposited over the front side 214 ofthe first substrate 212. The protective layer 702 can be parylene, anoxide, or another suitable dielectric material. The protective layer 702can be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque to the selected radiationfor operating the image sensors 221 depending upon the particularapplication. A support material layer 710 is then formed on top of theprotective layer 702 in the same manner that the support material layer310 is formed on top of the cover 234 as described above with referenceto FIG. 3A. The support material layer 710 is then etched to form opticssupports 750 with bearing elements 260 and openings 254 as shown in FIG.7B. The second etch for forming the hole 254 can be selective to thesupport material layer 710 (FIG. 7A) such that it does not etch theprotective material 702. In embodiments in which the protective layer702 is composed of a material that is suitably transmissive to thedesired radiation, the optical devices can be mounted to the opticssupport 750 at this point.

FIG. 7C illustrates a subsequent processing step that is used inembodiments in which the protective layer 702 is not sufficientlytransmissive to the desired radiation. In this embodiment, theprotective layer 702 is etched to expose the image sensors 221 to theopening 254. The optical devices can then be attached to the opticssupport 750. In either of the embodiments shown in FIG. 7B or 7C, theoptics supports 750 are constructed on the imager workpiece 210 so thatthey project directly from the first substrate 212. As such, in any ofthe embodiments shown above with respect to FIGS. 3A-7C, the opticssupports 250/550/650/750 are constructed above the first substrate 212in the sense that they are either directly on the first substrate 212 oron a cover 234 over the first substrate 212.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,but that various modifications may be made without deviating from thespirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims.

1. A method of manufacturing microelectronic imagers, comprising:providing an imager workpiece having a plurality of imaging diesincluding image sensors and external contacts operatively coupled to theimage sensors, the plurality of imaging dies being supported by a firstsubstrate; constructing optics supports on the imager workpiece beforecutting the imager workpiece, the optics support being coupled to thefirst substrate, the optics supports having openings aligned withcorresponding image sensors and bearing elements at reference locationsrelative to corresponding image sensors, the bearing elements includingalignment surfaces; providing a plurality of second substrates, eachsupporting a respective optics element; and coupling, respectively, saidoptics supports to said second substrates, the alignment surfacesaligning the second substrates vertically and horizontally with respectto the image sensors.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein: providing theworkpiece comprises (a) fabricating the image sensors on a front side ofthe first substrate, (b) forming the external contacts on a backside ofthe substrate, (c) forming through-wafer interconnects electricallyconnecting the external contacts to corresponding image sensors, (d)forming spacers having apertures in alignment with the image sensors onthe front side of the first substrate, and (e) attaching a cover to thespacers; and constructing the optics supports comprises depositing alayer of support material onto the cover and etching the openings intothe layer of support material.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein:providing the workpiece comprises (a) fabricating the image sensors on afront side of the first substrate, (b) forming spacers having aperturesin alignment with the image sensors on the front side of the firstsubstrate, and (c) attaching a cover to the spacers; and constructingthe optics supports comprises depositing a layer of support materialonto the cover and etching the openings into the layer of supportmaterial.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein: providing the workpiececomprises fabricating the image sensors on a front side of the firstsubstrate; and constructing the optics supports comprises depositing alayer of support material onto the substrate and etching the openingsinto the layer of support material.
 5. The method of claim 1 whereinconstructing the optics supports comprises depositing a layer of supportmaterial onto the workpiece and etching the openings in the supportmaterial.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein constructing the opticssupports comprises patterning a seed layer on the workpiece and platinga support material onto the seed layer in regions between adjacent imagesensors such that the support material has the openings in alignmentwith the image sensors.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein: providing theworkpiece comprises fabricating the image sensors on a first substrate;constructing the optics supports comprises (a) depositing a layer ofsupport material onto a second substrate, (b) etching the openings intothe layer of support material such that the support layer has footings,and (c) attaching the footings to the first substrate.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein: providing the workpiece comprises (a) fabricating theimage sensors on a front side of a first substrate, (b) forming spacershaving apertures in alignment with the image sensors on the front sideof the first substrate, and (c) attaching a cover to the spacers; andconstructing the optics supports comprises (a) depositing a layer ofsupport material onto a second substrate, (b) etching the openings intothe layer of support material such that the support layer has footings,and (c) attaching the footings to the cover.
 9. The method of claim 1wherein providing the workpiece comprises (a) fabricating the imagesensors on a front side of the first substrate, (b) forming spacershaving apertures in alignment with the image sensors on the front sideof the first substrate, and (c) attaching a cover to the spacers, andwherein the cover is a single pane over the first substrate.
 10. Themethod of claim 1 providing the workpiece comprises (a) fabricating theimage sensors on a front side of the first substrate, (b) formingspacers having apertures in alignment with the image sensors on thefront side of the first substrate, and (c) attaching a cover to thespacers, and wherein the cover comprises a plurality of panes over thefirst substrate such that individual panes are aligned with one of theimage sensors.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein attaching opticaldevices comprises mounting a wafer to the optics supports, the waferhaving optics elements arranged in a pattern corresponding to the imagesensors such that individual optics elements are aligned with acorresponding one of the image sensors at the wafer level.
 12. Themethod of claim 1 wherein attaching optical devices comprises mounting adiscrete optics element to an individual optics support at acorresponding one of the individual image sensors.
 13. The method ofclaim 1 wherein attaching optical devices comprises mounting a focuslens, a dispersion lens, a pin-hole lens, a filter and/or ananti-reflective medium to the optics supports in alignment withindividual image sensors.
 14. A method of manufacturing microelectronicimagers, comprising: fabricating a plurality of imager dies on aworkpiece, the imager dies comprising image sensors on a front side of afirst substrate, integrated circuitry operatively coupled to the imagesensors, and external contacts operatively coupled to the integratedcircuitry; forming a plurality of conductive spacers, the plurality ofconductive spacers being arranged on the first substrate and havingapertures aligned with the image sensors; arranging a cover on thespacers, the cover being transmissive to a desired radiation for theimage sensors; and constructing optics supports by depositing a layer ofsupport material over the workpiece and forming a plurality of openingsin the layer of support material in alignment with corresponding imagesensors, the optics supports being arranged on the cover.
 15. The methodof claim 14 wherein: fabricating the plurality of imager dies furthercomprises forming spacers having apertures in alignment with the imagesensors on the front side of the first substrate; and constructing theoptics supports further comprises depositing the layer of supportmaterial onto the cover and etching the plurality of openings into thelayer of support material.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein:fabricating the plurality of imager dies further comprises depositing aprotective layer onto the front side of the first substrate; andconstructing the optics supports further comprises depositing thesupport material onto the protective layer and etching the plurality ofopenings into the layer of support material in alignment withcorresponding image sensors.
 17. The method 14 wherein mounting opticaldevices to the optics supports comprises attaching a separate wafer tothe optics supports, the separate wafer having optics elements arrangedin a pattern corresponding to the image sensors such that individualoptics elements are aligned with a corresponding one of the imagesensors at the wafer level.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein mountingoptical devices to the optics supports comprises attaching a discreteoptics element to an individual optics support at a corresponding one ofthe individual image sensors at the wafer level.
 19. The method of claim14 wherein mounting optical devices to the optics supports comprisesattaching a focus lens, a dispersion lens, a pin-hole lens, a filterand/or an anti-reflective medium to the optics supports in alignmentwith individual image sensors.
 20. A method of manufacturing a pluralityof microelectronic imagers on an imager workpiece having a front sideand a backside, the method comprising: fabricating a plurality of imagerdies supported by a workpiece having a substrate, the imager diescomprising image sensors, the image sensors being fabricated on a frontside of the substrate, integrated circuitry operatively coupled to theimage sensors, and external contacts operatively coupled to theintegrated circuitry; forming conductive spacers on the workpiece havingapertures in alignment with the image sensors on the substrate;attaching a cover to the spacers; and constructing optics supports abovethe substrate so that individual optics supports have an opening alignedwith a corresponding image sensor and a bearing element configured tohold an optical device at a desired location relative to thecorresponding image sensor.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein:fabricating the imager dies comprises (a) forming the external contactson a backside of the substrate, and (b) forming through-waferinterconnects electrically connecting the external contacts tocorresponding image sensors; and constructing the optics supportscomprises depositing a layer of support material onto the cover andetching the openings into the layer of support material.
 22. The methodof claim 20 wherein constructing the optics supports comprisesdepositing a layer of support material onto the cover and etching theopenings into the layer of support material.
 23. The method of claim 20wherein constructing the optics supports comprises depositing a layer ofsupport material onto the substrate and etching the openings into thelayer of support material.
 24. The method of claim 20 wherein the coveris a single pane over the substrate.
 25. The method of claim 20 whereinthe cover comprises a plurality of widows over the substrate such thatindividual windows are aligned with one of the image sensors.
 26. Themethod of claim 20, further comprising attaching optical devices to theoptics supports by mounting a wafer to the optics supports, the waferhaving optics elements arranged in a pattern corresponding to the imagesensors such that individual optics elements are aligned with acorresponding one of the image sensors.
 27. The method of claim 20,further comprising attaching optical devices to the optics supports bymounting a discrete optics element to an individual optics support at acorresponding one of the individual image sensors.
 28. The method ofclaim 20, further comprising attaching optical devices to the opticssupports by mounting a focus lens, a dispersion lens, a pin-hole lens, afilter and/or an anti-reflective medium to the optics supports inalignment with individual image sensors.